Panthers vs Saints Week 17 Predictions, Picks, and Preview: Sam Darnold To Start for Carolina

(Photo : Grant Halverson/Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - Sam Darnold #14 of the Carolina Panthers throws the ball during the third quarter in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on December 26, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Two NFC South teams will square off in Week 17 as the New Orleans Saints take on the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome. Who will record the much-needed victory in this Panthers vs Saints clash? Here's a breakdown of this divisional matchup.

Carolina Panthers installed as +7 underdogs

Carolina's losing woes show no sign of ending as the Panthers crashed to their fifth consecutive defeat with a 32-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. It was another disappointing result for the Panthers, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention. It has been a stunning downfall for the Panthers, who opened the 2021 season with three consecutive wins.

To help Carolina snap its losing skid, head coach Matt Rhule announced on Wednesday that Sam Darnold would start at quarterback for the Week 17 game against the New Orleans Saints. Darnold will replace the struggling Cam Newton, who went 0-5 as the Panthers starter this season.

This will be Darnold's first start since injuring his shoulder in the Week 9 loss to the New England Patriots. He did make an appearance in Week 16 against the Bucs, completing 15 of 32 passes for 190 yards. The Panthers experimented with a two-quarterback setup during that contest, but the scheme produced disastrous results.

Rhule hopes Darnold can rediscover the form that helped Carolina race to a 3-0 slate earlier this season. During that span, he recorded three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the wins against the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, and the Houston Texans.

New Orleans Saints enter Week 17 as -7 favorites

On Monday Night Football, the New Orleans Saints had their two-game winning streak snapped in Week 16 with a humiliating 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins. It was a costly result for the Saints, who dropped out of the playoff picture with the defeat. They are currently in 10th place in the NFC standings with a 7-8 record.

The good news for the Saints is that they are just one game behind the teams holding the last two wild card spots in the NFC. The Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers head into Week 17 with similar 8-7 slates.

For New Orleans to return to the win column against Carolina, the Saints need to get a much-improved showing from their offense. They struggled mightily with rookie Ian Book under center, recording just 164 total yards in the loss to the Dolphins. They had difficulty moving the chains against Miami as they failed to convert all 12 of their third-down tries in Week 16.

Help is on the way, though, for the Saints with starting quarterback Taysom Hill activated off their reserve/COVID-19 list. Hill has completed 55 percent of his passes this season, averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. His passing may be mediocre, but Hill makes up for it with his ground game. He has rushed for 311 yards, and five touchdowns on 53 carries this campaign.